My name is Willow and that name alone has been a battle for me. I don’t know if your childhood or possibly in your adulthood you’ve experienced teasing or bullying. Willow has been a burden for me since I can remember. Being different has never been the popular thing to do. You remember that line in the poem Mother to Son by Langston Hughes that says, “My life ain’t been no crystal stair” that line is the truth. I have been everything to someone but, Willow. I mean, I’ve been belittled so someone else could feel great, people labeled me everything other than my name. Not to mention, the ones that said, “they loved me” all the while using and taking while giving nothing in return and all of that was before I knew who I or love really was.

It was a long time coming but, one day I came across Ezekiel 17:5 which read, Then he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a fertile field, he placed it by abundant waters and set it like a Willow Tree. Wait! What? Willow that’s me. So fervently I began to research what does my name mean.  A willow tree represented strength and stability. Truthfully, I wasn’t strong enough to say ‘no” to so many before nor was I stable enough in my own skin. Willow trees were even known to stand firm and withstand in extreme environments which again was the opposite of what I did. For instance, they can handle droughts and grow whether it is sunny or shady these trees were different just like me. This verse spoke to me. I mean if it wasn’t for the abuse I wouldn’t have known how anointed he made me. I had no clue he was preparing me for so much greater. God had been preparing me for years and I never saw it coming. Standing in the mirror face to face with me. I recalled every disappointment I held over myself for allowing people to use me for whatever filled their hearts while mines was destroyed. So when God shook me with the memories I couldn’t help but, try and run for all this was dormant so why relive these incidents one by one. When I tell you I was so overwhelmed. I needed to see that I was strong enough to bear every emotion I buried internally. I had to acknowledge those experiences of pain in order to forgive for so much lighter I would be.

Authoritatively, I yelled release me, and commanded myself not to carry this anymore. I couldn’t give my past anymore power for there was more in store. Yet contrary, to popular belief I was comfortable begin hurt for pain fueled me. Then Ezekiel 17:5 spoke again ” seed of the land and planted it in a fertile field, he placed it by abundant waters and set it like a Willow Tree. Where was my fertile ground? In faithful fasting and praying would my abundant waters be. Please don’t get me wrong I saw worst before I saw better. So the person you see today didn’t come easily. Cliche or not, it was nobody but, the Lord that brought me into me. Man I must really like you all to give you piece after piece but, hopefully your encouraged to push THROUGH…to who you are honestly?